Understanding Each Other
by fringeperson
Summary: If Ranma had just a little less ego, a little more humility, and a lot more between his ears, things might have turned out like this... It might help matters if he keeps his eyes closed in the bathroom as well. DO NOT OWN.
1. Chapter 1

"Fiancé?" Kasumi asked, surprised.

"Yes, he's the son of my very good friend. His name is Saotome Ranma. If one of you girls were to marry him and carry on the legacy of this training hall, then our family legacy would be secure," Tendo explained to his daughters.

"Wait a minute!" Akane said, frowning, and already hating the idea. "You can't just decide like that! Count me out!"

"Maybe you should wait until you meet him," Nabiki said, smirking at her little sister. "You never know, he might be more handsome than you think. Right Father?"

Akane turned away with a slight huff, even as their father laughed.

"He'll be here very soon," he said, then stood. "Ranma and his father have been on a training mission. Recently they crossed into China."

"Ooh? China?" Nabiki asked, impressed.

Akane scowled. "So they trained in China. That doesn't automatically make them good!" she said, grumpy.

"Father, how old is Ranma?" Kasumi asked. A sensible question.

"Is he handsome?" Nabiki asked, hopefully.

"I hope he isn't younger than me," Kasumi said, genuinely not wanting to have to marry someone younger than herself.

"Well, what kind of guy _is_ he?" Nabiki asked, wanting an answer from her father, who hadn't given one yet.

He laughed, and the daughters could all tell it was his nervous laugh, then he looked at them. "I don't know," he answered.

Now all of the daughters were frowning.

"You don't know?" Nabiki demanded, her cheeks puffed out in displeasure.

"I mean, I've never met him," their father answered.

There was just enough time for every one of the girls to think to themselves "_I don't believe this_," when the doorbell rang, and a voice could be heard yelling from just out front of the house.

"Leggo you old fool! Leggo I said! I told you, I don't want any part of this!"

"We must have visitors," Kasumi observed.

Nabiki jumped up. "It must be Ranma-kun!" she exclaimed, then ran towards the door.

"Saotome!" Tendo said, following Nabiki quickly. "We've been waiting!"

Kasumi stood and waited by the door. "I hope he's older than me," she said quietly.

Akane stood to welcome the visitors, even if she didn't like the whole fiancé deal, and had reached Kasumi's side just as Nabiki and their father came running back around the corner, a giant panda walking in behind them, with a screaming red-head over one shoulder.

"C'mon! Stop! You're scaring them! Stop!" the red-head yelled at the panda, pushing against it's head while trying to twist and see the Tendo family.

"Are these your friends Father?" Kasumi asked.

Tendo mutely shook his head, shocked and a little frightened.

"If they're not your friends, then what's a _panda_ doing here?" Nabiki demanded.

Tendo just shook his head again, having no answer.

The panda halted and stood the red-head on their feet before Tendo, who blinked. The red-head looked to the side, uncomfortable.

"You wouldn't be Ranma?" Tendo asked.

"I'm Saotome Ranma. Sorry about this."

"I see! So you are Ranma!"

"He _is_ cute!" Nabiki added happily.

"Oh, it's so good of you to come!" Tendo said, wrapping his arms around Ranma and pulling the red-head into a tight embrace. A few seconds later, Tendo released Ranma, a little confused.

Then Nabiki noticed it as well, and started poking Ranma's chest.

"Please, stop that," Ranma asked, clearly uncomfortable and very unhappy about the invasion of personal space.

"One-hundred percent female I tell you!" Nabiki said, turning to her father but not removing her hand from Ranma's breast.

"A girl?" Tendo asked, shocked, before he passed out.

~oOo~

"Poor Father, it must have been such a disappointment," Kasumi said, laying a damp cloth across Tendo's head, everybody sitting around.

"I'm the one who's disappointed," Nabiki said, pouting. "I was looking forward to finding out what kind of man he was, and then it turns out that _he_ is a _she_," she continued, her tone accusing as she looked over at Ranma who was sitting between herself and Akane.

"Stop it Onee-chan! She's come a long way to visit us!" Akane said, frowning at Nabiki. She much preferred this arrangement. If Ranma was a girl, there wouldn't be any forced engagements!

"Father's waking up," Kasumi observed, drawing everyone's attention to Tendo.

Nabiki launched into accusations at once. "This is all your fault! You should have checked if he was a boy or girl first!"

"Saotome told me he had been blessed with a son!" Tendo defended from where he was laying on the floor.

"What part of this looks like a boy to you huh?" Nabiki demanded lowly, unashamedly groping Ranma's chest. "What part?"

"Please stop that!" Ranma asked, as politely as possible.

"She's right!" Akane added, getting Nabiki's attention, though the offending hand remained where it was. "So what if she's a girl Onee-chan? A guest is a guest!"

Nabiki at last removed the hand and looked to the ceiling, hands in her lap and a desire to sigh deeply in her chest.

Akane lay a friendly hand on Ranma's shoulder. "Want to see our dojo?" she offered.

"Huh?" Ranma asked, snapping her head around to look at Akane.

"I'm Akane," she said, introducing herself. "Want to be friends?"

Ranma smiled, nodded, and followed Akane out to the dojo.

~oOo~

"I'm glad you're a girl," Akane said, when they'd had their little spar.

"Huh?" Ranma asked, confused.

"It's just," Akane explained, "I couldn't stand losing to a boy."

Ranma stood there as Akane left, deeply uncomfortable.

Kasumi found her still there, and escorted the red-head to another part of the house.

"Please use this room Ranma-chan," Kasumi said.

"Thank you," Ranma answered, putting her large pack down.

"Why don't you go down now and take a bath," Kasumi offered, holding out bath things to the smaller girl.

"Uh... no thanks," Ranma said, perhaps a little defensively, but not wanting to be any kind of bother.

"You must!" Kasumi said, forcing the cleaning things into Ranma's hands. "You must be covered with sweat from all that exercise, right?"

Ranma had to concede the point, and headed for the bathroom.

A short while after, Kasumi asked Nabiki to tell Akane to take her bath.

~oOo~


	2. Chapter 2

Ranma soaped herself, poured cold water over her head, and then, after making sure there was a sign on the door that said "knock first", gratefully stepped into the hot water.

"What am I gonna do?" Ranma asked the empty room, eyes closed. "They're bound to find out sooner or later. I should probably go out as I am, but..."

As Ranma lay in the water, eyes still closed, the door slid open. So much for knocking. He knew better than to open his eyes though. Whoever it was thought they'd be joining a girl in the bath, so it would be one of the girls. No way he'd be accused of being a pervert if he could help it.

There was silence, and then the door closed again. A few seconds later, Ranma heard a scream in Akane's voice, rather than either of the other girls.

"Just who I _didn't_ want to upset," he groaned, bringing a hand up over his still covered eyes. Well, she'd probably make a big fuss about there being some strange boy in their bathroom, so now he really should go out there this way, just to get everything cleared up.

~oOo~

Akane was holding up a table, and yelling answers while her sisters asked her questions.

"I thought that Ranma was in there ..." Kasumi said.

"Excuse me."

A boy with black hair in the same style as the red-head's and wearing the same clothes as the ones that Ranma had arrived in stood there. He was looking very nervous.

"Who are you?" Nabiki asked, almost accused.

"I'm Saotome Ranma. Sorry about this," he said, and he truly did look genuinely apologetic.

Akane was still holding the table over her head.

The explanation was begun with many grumpy young women staring at him, and then abruptly became a wet demonstration before it returned to an explanation of exactly what happened, and then more water.

"Well now, your situation isn't so bad after all!" Tendo said happily, patting Ranma on the shoulder and turning her to consider his daughters. "Kasumi is nineteen, Nabiki is seventeen, and Akane is sixteen. You're free to pick whichever of my daughters you wish to marry, and she shall be your fiancé."

"Nonsense Father," Kasumi said, smiling. "It's Akane-chan of course."

"That's right, they're made for each other!" Nabiki put in.

"Why's it gotta be me?" Akane growled. She'd hated the idea of a fiancé from the beginning, and now it all seemed to be landed on her.

"You hate boys, right?" Nabiki said.

"That's right. How fortunate that Ranma-kun is half girl!" Kasumi added, smiling brightly, gesturing to the currently female Ranma.

"No way!" Akane objected fiercely. "Don't expect _me _to marry that pervert!"

"Hey hey! What do you mean 'pervert'?" Ranma objected, frowning. She liked Akane fine, but this temper wasn't so great.

"You saw me in the nude. Molester!"

"I didn't!" Ranma objected. "I had a sign on the door saying 'knock first'! I had my eyes shut when I heard the door open _without_ anyone knocking! You're the only one who saw anything!"

Akane blinked.

"And I'm sorry," Ranma added more quietly, taking a deep, calming breath. "Perhaps we could talk privately?" she suggested, gesturing to their audience.

Akane looked at her sisters, father and Saotome Genma, then back to Ranma, and nodded.

~oOo~

Akane and Ranma sat before each other in the dojo, in the middle of the room so that they weren't too close to the walls where family members might listen in.

"I'm not exactly thrilled about having a fiancé," Ranma started. "My father sprung it on me, like it just got sprung on you."

Akane nodded her understanding, cautiously.

"I'd like to be friends though," Ranma continued, a plea in her voice. "If you changed your mind about that offer you made just a few hours ago _just_ because you found out I was a boy as well..."

Akane nodded again. Ranma didn't have to finish that sentence.

"Any questions?" the red-head asked, blue eyes fixed on Akane's face.

"You really didn't look?" Akane asked.

Ranma rolled her eyes. "When you came into the bathroom? No. But Akane, I have seen the female body in all it's glory," Ranma pointed out. "I've got one after all. I know how it feels to be grabbed at -"

"Like Nabiki-onee this afternoon," Akane said, ashamed of her sister's behaviour

"Well, normally it's a guy grabbing me, so I hit them, but pretty much the same," Ranma said, nodding. "You got her to stop, so I'm grateful," she said, laying a hand over one of Akane's, trying to get a smile from the other girl. "I also know what it's like to have my opinions ignored because of my gender, and even period pain. Now, I'm going to ask something," Ranma said, "and I want you to not hit me for it, because it's a little indelicate."

Akane frowned, but nodded slowly.

"How much did you see when you walked in on me?" Ranma asked, a little embarrassed to be asking.

Akane turned pink at the question as well. "Ah... well... um... j-just a-about e-everything," she stuttered, looking away.

Ranma smiled gently. "I'm not offended," she reassured. "I think it's a good thing."

Akane's pink blush went red, her eyes went wide and she snapped up to look at Ranma, who was still smiling.

"Look, my father is set on me marrying a Tendo, and you father is for it as well. Between you and your sisters, I'd have asked you anyway, given the option, so we're stuck as each other's fiancé's," Ranma pointed out. "So you've seen me, and I know about female anatomy. No more screaming if we end up in the bathroom together?" she offered hopefully.

Akane nodded. "Okay," she said quietly, flattered that Ranma would have chosen her over Kasumi and Nabiki regardless.

"Now, I want to warm up and clean off the pond-scum, and you haven't had your bath yet," Ranma said, standing. "I can go without warming up until after you've left the bathroom if you like, but we might as well scrub each other's backs and talk about our annoying families," she suggested, offering a hand to Akane and a hopeful smile.

Akane smiled back, just a very little bit, and accepted the hand.

~oOo~

"I solemnly swear," Ranma promised as she scrubbed Akane's back, a smile in her voice, "that I will never share any secret that you tell me while we are in the bathroom. Soo... Is there someone that you like? You seemed really put out by the whole fiancé thing, even more than me," she said, enjoying having a friend.

Akane blushed. "I do like someone," she said quietly, "but he likes Kasumi, and for some strange reason she can't tell."

"Oh," Ranma said, not smiling any more. "I'm sorry Akane," she offered.

Akane shook her head. "That's alright, but what about you?"

Ranma sighed. "I had a friend for a little while when Dad and I were travelling, but we left in a hurry and I was really young. I think Dad did something really stupid again. I haven't really even had a friend since then."

Akane wasn't smiling either. "That sounds even more unhappy than me and Dr Tofu and Kasumi," she said sympathetically. "Hang on, 'again'?" she asked.

Ranma groaned. "Training at the Jusenkyo springs isn't the _first_ dumb training idea he's had," Ranma answered. "Not by a _long_ shot. I try and block out the memories of the training itself. There's a reason that I hate cats – but that's for another bath, hm? Um... what about at school? Are there any boys there that like you?"

Akane huffed and frowned. "There's a reason that I hate boys," she answered. "One boy at school gave a speech on speech day that basically said 'he wouldn't allow anyone to date me unless they first defeated me in battle'. Thanks to him, I'm always cutting it close to be in class on time, because so many of the boys are waiting to ambush me at the school gates, wanting a date," she said with a huff.

Ranma groaned and dropped her forehead onto Akane's shoulder. "I'll pound him nicely for you," she offered hopefully. "He's a blight on the human race, someone that much of an idiot."

Akane laughed and patted Ranma's bright red hair. "Thank you," she said, "but I do manage every morning on my own, and goodness knows what would happen if Kuno saw you. He's a horrible pervert as well as the best fighter at school. Apart from me," she added, proudly.

Ranma sat back and laughed. "Ah, but as your fiancé it's my duty to defend your honour!" she said, lowering a hand to tickle Akane's sides. "Even if I _am_ a girl sometimes!"

Akane laughed, batting away the tickling hands. "Stop that!" she shrieked happily, turning to return the tickling.

When they eventually calmed down, Akane did Ranma's back.

"You know Akane," Ranma said, "you're a lot cuter when you're smiling, than when you're angry."

"That _is_ a compliment, right?" Akane asked, her hand drifting to threaten more tickling to Ranma's ribs.

Ranma giggled. "It's just an observation," she said. "When you're angry, you're scary. When you're happy, you're beautiful."

Akane giggled too. "Thank you," she said, returning to scrubbing Ranma's back. "Alright, time to rinse."

"And then the hot bath," Ranma said, longing clear in her voice.

"You don't like being a girl, do you?" Akane said, handing Ranma the bucket of cold water.

Ranma blushed. "I've been a boy all my life until that stupid training," he answered. "I'm adjusting, but 'male' is my natural state. Giving up my manhood just... doesn't sit well with me."

Akane nodded. "I guess I understand," she said. "I don't think I'd handle it all that well myself, if I were changing into a boy whenever I got splashed with cold water."

Ranma sighed. "There's probably a spring back at Jusenkyo that would fix this for me," she said, "I get the feeling I'm not going anywhere in a hurry though."

Akane lay a comforting hand on Ranma's arm. "Let's just get into the hot water," she suggested.

Ranma raised an eyebrow. "You wouldn't mind sharing the hot water with a boy? That's how it works, remember."

Akane's smile shook a little. "I'll be sharing the bath with my fiancé," she answered firmly. "I'll even help you move your futon into my room if you like. It will protect you from Nabiki if you do. Goodness knows _what_ she gets up to sometimes."

Ranma smiled in gratitude. "Thank you Akane-chan," she said. "That's another reason I like you best of your sisters: you offered to be my friend, where Nabiki was invasive and Kasumi seemed... well, a bit airy really. You're nice."

Akane blushed, and quickly stepped into the hot water.

~oOo~


	3. Chapter 3

"School?" Ranma questioned over breakfast when his father brought it up. "We're really hanging around long enough to enrol me somewhere?"

Genma nodded. "You'll be going to the same school as Nabiki and Akane."

Ranma sighed, but got up from the table, and went to find Akane. He checked the dojo first, then her room when she wasn't there – knocking first and calling her name.

"Akane?" he called.

"Ranma?"

Found her!

"May I come in?"

"Sure, I'm decent."

Ranma chuckled, but let himself in, closing the door behind him.

"Dad enrolled me at your school," he said. "Is that your uniform?" he asked, pointing at the sea-green dress and the white blouse that Akane was wearing.

Akane nodded. "Yeah, it is," she answered. "For the girls anyway. Boys can get away with wearing their sports uniforms to class sometimes, though mostly they wear a white shirt and grey pants."

Ranma sighed. "I should find part-time work, so I can buy things that I need," he said, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Kami knows, Dad's never gonna shape up."

Akane laughed lightly. "Or you could borrow one of my dresses," she suggested, teasing just a little. "Come to school as a girl."

Ranma's smile was definitely crooked. "I'm not sure Akane," he said. "I like being macho, wearing a dress really _doesn't_ go with that."

Akane was grinning. "I'm teasing," she said. "The colour wouldn't go with your red hair anyway."

They both laughed a little.

"You'll be fine in what you're wearing," Akane assured.

Ranma was immensely relieved. "And you point out that idiot Kuno to me when we get to school. I promised to pound him for you, and I intend to fulfil that promise."

Akane smiled wryly and put her hands on her hips. "And if it rains?" she asked, gesturing to the clouds that were beginning to roll in.

Ranma looked out the window, then back to Akane. "I am the way I am. The whole school can know, I don't care, I'll kick all of their butts if they try anything with me."

Akane laughed. "Alright then," she said, smiling brightly.

~oOo~

"I'm your fiancé, and I'm your friend," Ranma said as they ran to school. "I'm helping clear out the bums who want to date you."

Akane smiled. "Thanks Ranma," she said. If they hadn't decided to be friends last night, she probably would have yelled at him to back off. She could handle this herself after all, but he was being very sweet about it, almost romantic even, if beating up other people could be romantic – besides, she'd told him she could handle it, and he believed her. It was just that he _wanted_ to help defend her honour... or something like that anyway.

They rounded the corner.

"Akane! Date with me!" the cry went up.

The couple ploughed through the boys easily, until only one, wearing hakama and carrying a wooden sword was left standing. He threw a rose to Akane.

She caught it, stared at it for a moment, then frowned and stomped it underfoot.

"Let me guess," Ranma said quietly, hands on his hips as he stood with Akane and the boy recited poetry badly, that really had nothing to do with anything. "This is the idiot who started it?"

Akane nodded.

"I know you said the other night that you had this problem, but you're even more popular than I thought," Ranma said, looking at the carnage around them, smiling a little.

Kuno's attention was drawn then to Ranma. "You're being very familiar with Akane," he said with a scowl. "Who are you?"

"Saotome Ranma," he answered quickly.

"I am the rising new star of the kendo world, my strength is beyond measure! I am the captain of Furinkan High School Kendo Club! My voice alone can silence a crying child! I a junior in Class E. My peers call me... The Blue Thunder of Furinkan High! Kuno Tatewaki. Age seventeen."

Ranma rolled his eyes.

"He really is an idiot," Ranma said to Akane. "You go ahead inside to class, don't want you to be late because of this guy."

Akane giggled. "Oh fine, give me your bag."

Kuno frowned. "Why are you so familiar with each other?"

Ranma jumped up and landed both feet onto Kuno's face. "Because I'm a guest at her house," Ranma said as he stepped off Kuno's face.

The older boy recovered quickly. "You dare to hound Akane! I won't stand for it! I challenge you!"

"Ranma, don't be long," Akane called, having taken the opportunity while Kuno was beneath Ranma's feet to get past him and to the door.

"I won't," he answered her, then looked down at Kuno. "I accept your challenge," he said.

It started raining not long into the fight, and Kuno – as well as the entire population of the school who were watching – were surprised to see Ranma turn into a girl.

"Who are you?" Kuno asked. "What happened to the felon I was doing battle with?"

Ranma sighed and rolled her eyes. "You really _are_ an idiot," she said. "You just saw me transform from a boy into a girl, and you think I'm a different person?" Ranma looked over her shoulder at the clock quickly, then grabbed hold of Kuno's shirt and threw him into the wall.

Ranma walked stopped by the nurse's office for some hot water on his way to class.

~oOo~

"_Fiancé_!" the class yelled when Ranma walked through the doors.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise, looking for Akane in the crowd.

She appeared by his side soon enough. "Nabiki would have spilled the beans anyway," she pointed out in a whisper. "It was easier to say it up front."

He nodded his understanding.

Akane smiled, happily lacing her finger's through Ranma's. "Our fathers wanted the union of the two schools, so they arranged for their children to be married. Naturally, Nabiki and Kasumi didn't much care for marrying a someone younger or who could turn into a girl, but after what I get every morning, this arrangement suited _me_ just fine," she explained.

Ranma smiled and blushed. It really wouldn't be so bad everyone knowing, or even coming to school. It helped Akane out, and she was being a really great friend – and fiancé. No, maybe not so bad.

"Class, we have a new student today, Saotome Ranma," the teacher introduced officially as he entered. "Though I think we all know who he is by now. Ranma, please take the seat beside Akane's – you were only just on time. The rest of you sit down too, we have class."

~oOo~


	4. Chapter 4

"Hello Ryoga," Ranma greeted tiredly as he walked down the street to the Tendo dojo, having finished his shift at the vegetable shop for the day. "Ryoga!" he yelped, turning around in surprise to see, yes, Ryoga.

"Ranma! I will have my vengeance!"

Ranma blinked in surprise, then kicked his old friend/rival down. "Vengeance for _what_ exactly?" he asked, standing on Ryoga's shoulders and crouched down.

"I followed you to China after you ran out on our duel, I blame _you_ for all my misfortunes there!" Ryoga answered.

Ranma sighed. "What, did you go to Jusenkyo springs? Come on," he said, dragging the boy behind him. "I'll take you to where I'm living so you won't get lost. You can _explain_, and then if you want we can fight afterwards."

~oOo~

"Ranma, who's this?" Akane asked, surprised to see Ranma bringing someone to the dojo, let alone a boy, and one he was dragging by his shoulder.

"Ryoga. Idiot with no sense of direction, but quite strong," Ranma answered, setting Ryoga's umbrella down by the door, quite aware of its weight. "Alright Ryoga, explain what you're blaming on me this time."

Ranma and Akane both listened to Ryoga's story.

"A girl caused you to fall into the pool of the drowned black piglet, and then a panda tried to eat you," Ranma said. "Well, I apologise for the former, which would have been an accident, as I honestly don't remember seeing you there, as for the panda trying to eat you... that would be Dad, which he _won't_ apologise for, because he's that kind of idiot."

"So will you accept my challenge?" Ryoga demanded.

Ranma sighed. "Sure," he said, "but I want to see what you look like as a pig first, and if I win, I want you to stop bothering me."

Ryoga grit his teeth, but acquiesced. As the challenged, Ranma could name such prices from him.

A bucket of cold water, and a kettle of warm later, and Ranma and Ryoga were ready to fight.

"I think it's a shame he's not really a piglet," Akane said to Nabiki as they watched the fight. "If he were, I could keep him as a pet."

Nabiki raised an eyebrow at her little sister. "What do you need a pet for?" she asked. "You've got a fiancé, that's practically the same thing."

Akane laughed. "Well, Ranma has his moments I suppose."

Ranma finally won against Ryoga, and Kasumi called for dinner.

"So, no more challenging me to stuff," Ranma told Ryoga. "I'm sorry for the pig thing, but the only thing that I can think of to do about it would be to go back to Jusenkyo and find a spring for the drowned man or something." He _hoped_ there was one. He wanted to stop turning into a girl.

Ryoga nodded. He was gone in the morning.

~oOo~

"You're jealous?" Akane teased, poking Ranma in the side.

"That you'd cuddle with pig-boy in your bed? You bet I'm jealous," Ranma answered, scowling.

Akane blinked in surprise. She hadn't honestly expected him to admit to it.

"Look," Ranma said, kneeling on his futon a foot away from Akane's bed. "If you took him to bed with you, you'd be snuggling with a _nude_ Ryoga. He'd snuggle deep into your chest happily, and he'd probably bite at me while doing his best to be your innocent pet. As your friend and fiancé, it is my duty to protect you from perverts like him."

Akane blushed. "Oh-Okay," she said quietly, looking away from Ranma's intense gaze to study the pattern of her quilt. "So... you wouldn't mind me getting a pet?"

Ranma narrowed his eyes. "It had better be a female animal," he said. "And I still wouldn't want it in your bed."

Akane smiled bashfully and slipped off her bed to kneel in front of Ranma.

"I won't get a pet," she said.

Ranma sighed audibly in relief. "Thank you," he said, smiling.

~oOo~


	5. Chapter 5

"Battle gymnastics?" Akane and Ranma asked, surprised. They'd honestly never heard of _that_, and they were part of the 'Anything Goes' school of martial arts. Still, the girls that Ranma had saved from that crazy one with the black rose were asking Akane and Ranma to fill in for them.

Ranma was inclined to say no, but then Akane turned those _eyes_ on her.

Ranma sighed. "You're gonna want a more secure hairstyle for this," she said, tugging gently on the low tie in Akane's hair. "And you three," Ranma said, turning to the beaten up girls, "are going to help us train. We've never done this before."

Those three slightly battered faces lit up in pure gratitude.

~oOo~

Ranma, having gotten the hang of the basics faster than Akane, went to have a hot bath before going to bed. Opening the door to Akane's and his room, he instantly noticed the intruder.

"You mind telling me what you're doing in this room?" he demanded. "With a mallet? Ah, no, wait, I know. You're the crazy fanatic who's been beating up the competition _before_ the competition. I recognise you from this afternoon."

The girl dropped from the ceiling.

"I am Kodachi, the Black Rose, the star of hope of the gymnastics world, the rose of St. Hebereke High School -"

"The coward who can't face competition in the arena," Ranma finished. "I know who you are. Get yourself out before you get thrown out."

Kodachi was taken aback. No one had ever been so cruel to her before. "And... who are you?" she asked.

Ranma narrowed his eyes at her, reached forward, and grabbed her ponytail. He then dragged her to the window. "The one who said 'get yourself out before you get thrown out'," he repeated, throwing her out the window and into the pond. Well, so much for turning in early. Akane could take care of herself, but he'd feel better if he was there to keep an eye on her.

With nut-jobs like that, and only a week until the competition, they'd have to practice hard and be very careful.

~oOo~

Kodachi showed up at school the next day, just dropped out of the trees by the path and attacked Akane with a bamboo sword.

"You've got some nerve ambushing anybody this early in the day, and where _everybody_ can see you!" Akane said, holding the other girl up by the sword she was holding.

"Akane-chan," Ranma called gently, he was only a few paces ahead, "leave the crazy girl alone, we have to get to class."

Things had become a lot easier for Akane in the mornings now that the school accepted that she was engaged – and to sex-changing Ranma at that. No longer did she have to beat her way to the school's front door.

Akane sighed and nodded, throwing the girl out the gate by the bamboo sword.

"Why isn't she targeting you as well?" Akane asked, coming up beside the red-head.

Ranma shrugged. "Dunno," he answered. "Maybe she just doesn't know about me yet," he suggested. "After all, what guy would ever do rhythmic gymnastics? Even where the tools are all weapons?"

Akane nodded. "Fair point," she conceded.

"Akane-kun," It was Kuno. "Please be careful when you fight her. It may only be a brother's opinion, but Kodachi is dangerous, a twisted soul."

"No," Ranma said easily. "She really is. As family, it should be your duty to _correct_ her. Come on Akane-chan," he said, slipping his hand into Akane's and pulling her inside.

"The sight of you in the gymnasts leotard will preserve me," Kuno called after them.

"Don't come!" they both yelled back.

~oOo~

It wasn't an _easy_ win, but it was a win in the end, crazy as the girl was. To top it all off, she even started crying when she lost.

"Oi oi!" Ranma said, waving his finger at the other girl – he'd started out female, but in a man's grey aerobics costume. Kodachi had thrown hot water at him towards the end though, and he'd become himself again. It was quite handy really. As a boy, he had a slightly longer reach. "Stop it! You're just upset about losing. I refuse to feel guilty for beating you fairly when you used non-standard 'tools' to try and win!"

Akane wrapped her arms around Ranma in delight – she hadn't been able to compete, since she'd twisted her ankle the previous night when they were practising. She could walk, but anything more strenuous would have just aggravated it.

"You really are the _best_ Ranma," Akane said happily, kissing his cheek.

Ranma blushed pink, then red, then his face was glowing brighter than his hair when he was a girl. It was their first public display of affection really, apart from holding hands and just being near each other. Ranma promised to remember that moment for the rest of _both_ of their lives.

"Come on," Akane said, threading her fingers in between Ranma's. "I think you deserve a back-rub and a hot bath after all this."

Ranma's blush spread to his ears and neck, and he smiled shyly, but didn't say anything. At least, not until they got home anyway.

"Thank you, Akane," Ranma said while they were disrobing before going into the bathroom. "For everything."

Akane smiled.

~oOo~


	6. Chapter 6

For a while, everything was just a bit of confusing fun. They got to help Dr Tofu admit that he liked Kasumi, and Kasumi to realise that she returned the feelings, and furthermore got the approval of Dr Tofu's mother. Then things became very _un_-fun when Shampoo showed up.

"Honestly, if I'd known before hand, I would have treated the whole thing differently," Ranma sighed to Akane in despair once they'd gotten back to the Tendo dojo and he'd explained everything.

Currently, he was lying on the floor, his head in Akane's lap as she listened to him.

"So that's why you don't fight girls much?" Akane asked, giggling, despite the seriousness of the situation.

Ranma nodded, despondent. "And now she shows up, always yelling 'Ranma, I kill!', and I'm worried about what happens if I kill her first instead, just so that she'll stop."

Akane stroked her poor fiancé's head fondly. "Such a shame you have to run from such a cute girl."

Ranma rolled his eyes up to meet Akane's. "Psychotic is _not_ cute," he scolded. "Besides, I'm more than happy with _you_ as the girl in my life, quite apart from my own self."

Akane smiled and blushed at the compliment. "H-how's your after-school job going?" she asked, changing the subject.

Ranma smiled. It was nice to see Akane flustered because he'd said something that made her happy like that. "I like it. Maybe I'll drop out of school and just work there all the time. Buy an apartment, and the two of us can move out of here where family members are always up to something strange," he offered, reaching up to put his arms around her, tugging her down just a little while he pulled himself up and kissed her cheek just lightly.

A camera flash interrupted the tender moment.

"Nabiki, I will refrain from going to the local police and reporting your activities if you promise that the _only_ copy of that photo is in my possession, and the negative along with it!" Ranma growled, sitting up and glaring at the slightly older girl.

Nabiki's eyes widened. "You – you wouldn't!"

Ranma narrowed his eyes. "Taking photographs of people to sell – without their permission. That's bound to be a breach of a few privacy laws, don't you think? _Especially_ the ones of us asleep?"

Nabiki went pale. "You would," she realised in a horrified whisper.

"Furthermore, if you wish to _continue_ taking pictures of myself _or_ Akane for your lewd sales, I demand to preview _all_ photos before they are given to sale, and we will take fifty percent, and keep the negatives so that you have to apply to _us_ if you want more copies," Ranma continued.

Nabiki was shaking. "You really would..."

Ranma nodded firmly.

Nabiki left then, shaking.

Akane laughed. "I don't think I've ever seen Nabiki so worried," she said. "You really are wonderful Ranma," she said happily.

~oOo~

Shampoo found them again. Annoyingly, she found them just as Ranma was about to douse herself with hot water to go to work after school.

"We should take her to the police," Akane suggested as she held the still full kettle and watched Ranma and Shampoo fight. "Killing people isn't allowed these days really."

"Good idea!" Ranma yelled. "You call the police, I'll keep defending myself!"

Akane knocked on the nearest door and asked to use their phone.

The police were woefully useless at capturing Shampoo, but Ranma managed to swipe three pairs of cuffs and locked the purple-haired girl's ankles to her wrists, then wrapped the third pair of cuffs around the other two so that the menace wouldn't be going anywhere.

"I recommend anaesthetising her, then putting her in a straitjacket," Ranma said, frowning as the timid police force took the Chinese Amazon girl away. "Actually," she said quietly, "that sounds like a good course of action for a lot of people around here," she added quietly to Akane.

"Like the Kunos," she said, smiling as she handed over the kettle.

Ranma smiled. "Like the Kunos," she agreed, taking the kettle and becoming a male once more. "I should find us that apartment somewhere far away, huh?" he suggested with a smile as he handed the kettle back. "Thank you Akane."

Akane blushed just a little, and accepted the kettle.

"I'll see you when you get back to the dojo," she said.

Ranma nodded and headed off.

~oOo~

Ranma bowed low before the woman he had not seen for so many years, Akane sitting straight beside him.

"Most honourable mother of Saotome Ranma, your son has studied hard to be a man of _wu_ philosophy," Ranma said solemnly, not raising his head. "He feels that he has not yet achieved his goal, but continues to strive. He studies now also the ways of _wen_, to better please his fiancé, and so that he might be a true man among men."

Saotome Nodoka watched her son as he prostrated himself before her, surprised by what he had to say at their first meeting since he was so little, since her husband had taken him away to train.

"Ranma, look up at me," she said. "I want to see the face of my son, after all these years."

Ranma straightened and looked at his mother with solemnity.

"I see a fine man before me," Mrs Saotome said with gentle pride.

Ranma shook his head. "No, most honourable mother. Your son is cursed," he said. "A careless act in a cursed training ground has caused your son to also be your daughter."

Akane delicately picked up the bucket of cold water beside her and tipped it over Ranma's head.

Nodoka gasped.

Ranma lowered her eyes before her mother.

"Because of this curse, your child feels a deep sympathy towards women," Ranma said quietly, "and will strive to only show the utmost respect to Tendo Akane, the chosen fiancé of Saotome Ranma, as is proper, and no less than she deserves."

Akane lifted the kettle of hot water then, and poured it over Ranma, returning him to himself.

"I see before me," Nodoka said, tears brimming in her eyes, "a child which I can be proud of," she said, and held her arms out to Ranma, smiling.

For the first time in many years, mother and son embraced. Thankfully, the oath to be a man among men was allowed to slide, as really, it wasn't something he could really do anything about, but he wasn't going to kill himself over – especially since, as he'd been an infant when he'd slapped his hand-print on the document, it wasn't exactly legally valid or binding. For which he was deeply grateful.

~oOo~

"Ukyo?" Ranma yelped, surprised to see the only friend he'd had in his years of following his stupid father around on that damnably long training mission.

That was a long, _long_ day. Akane came very close to losing her temper several times – and Ranma right along with her. By the end of the day, Ukyo left without a fiancé, but she did have an eternal slave in the form of Saotome Genma – she also had most of his money.

Ranma and Akane laughed every time they walked passed Ukyo's shop, her shop's 'mascot' sitting in the window, attracting customers to come and look, and eat while they watched the panda do strange things. It was good to have a way to automatically release any and all tension so readily available to them. The old idiot should have known better than to sell Ranma's hand in marriage for an okonomiyaki cart.

~oOo~

The day that Happosai turned up was the day that Ranma finally snapped and killed someone.

"You snapped his neck," the inspector in charge of the investigation said, taking notes. "Why?"

Ranma scowled. "Self-defence," he said. "And defence of my fiancé," he continued.

"Sir," a policeman called, staring into the bag that the small old man had been carrying with him. "You want to see this."

"What is it?" the inspector who had been questioning Ranma asked, looking over his shoulder at his subordinate.

"I think we've found the underwear thief."

Ranma growled and held Akane more protectively against his side – away from the dead old pervert.

"Get a judge down here, a female one, and get her down here quickly," the inspector ordered.

The policeman nodded and ran off.

Half an hour later, in the middle of the street, Ranma's trial was going on in as hurried a fashion as it could officially be held. Half an hour after that, Ranma had been pardoned for murder in defence of self and others, and bringing a dangerous criminal to justice in the process – the court awarded him ten-thousand yen and he was free to go.

The police then had the difficult job of returning all the underwear that had been stolen by the old pervert – Ranma was receiving letters of gratitude for a month, all from women, most of them including a small amount of money as thanks as well. He always blushed when those letters came.

Akane turned red when they came too, but for an altogether different reason.

~oOo~


	7. Chapter 7

"Hey Akane," Ranma asked as they slipped into the hot water, enjoying having the entire house to themselves for the summer holiday when they celebrated their eighteenth birthdays. It had been nice, the quiet.

"What is it Ranma?"

"Want to get married?" he asked, staring up at the tiled ceiling. "Appreciating that we've known each other for roughly two years now, and lived together and all that, I was just wondering."

"Ranma," Akane said, confusion written across her face as she focused intensely on his.

"I think you're wonderful Akane," he said, smiling just a little ruefully, but still not looking at her as he spoke. "I even have suspicions that I'm crazy in love with you. I'll understand if you want to say no though," he finished, finally looking down from the ceiling to face her.

Akane was crying, which immediately worried him, until he noticed that she was smiling through the tears.

Gently, he wiped them away with a wet thumb.

"I think I probably love you as well," Akane answered. "I'll marry you Ranma."

Great, now _he_ was crying and smiling.

Akane lunged at him in the water, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his neck, sobbing happily.

Ranma wrapped his arms around her tightly, and breathed in the scent of her wet hair.

"We'll go somewhere far away, and we won't be associated with our families, or our high school, and we can set up the dojo anew if you like. We'll have whole new lives," Ranma promised in a hoarse whisper.

Akane nodded happily against Ranma's chest.

~oOo~

Through some minor miracle, the wedding went off without too much trouble, even if it _did_ happen not far from the dojo, and all of their families and a very few close friends were in attendance.

"I, Saotome Ranma, do take this woman to be my lawful wedded wife. I shall honour, cherish, respect and keep her through the good times and bad, whether sick or hale, wealthy or poor," he swore, holding Akane's hands in his as they stood before the priest.

"I, Tendo Akane, do take this man to be my lawful wedded husband. I shall honour, cherish, respect and keep him through the good times and bad, whether sick or hale, wealthy or poor," she said, smiling happily up at Ranma.

"Akane, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and everlasting fidelity," Ranma said, sliding the simple golden band onto Akane's finger.

Akane sniffed and a tear of happiness rolled down her face as she looked at the ring before taking up the one she was to place of Ranma's hand. "Ranma, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and everlasting fidelity."

The priest smiled at the couple. "Let all those gathered here today bear witness to the love of these two people, and let nothing ever part them. You may now kiss, as husband and wife."

Ranma and Akane smiled as he lifted the veil from her face and leant down to press their lips together.

Akane slipped her arms around Ranma's neck even as his came up around her waist, pulling them closer together, unaware of the cheering that had erupted in the shrine. At last they were married. At last they belonged to each other. At last. Nothing would ever part them now.

Ukyo caught the bouquet when Akane through it, and blushed very prettily in her suit as she looked over at the feminine assistant she'd nabbed up a while ago in a bout of Nerima strangeness who now helped to run her shop and was standing next to her. He blushed too and, looking away, subtly wove their fingers together. A blush soon highlighted both of their cheeks.

~oOo~

Ranma and Akane were stopped at a hotspring hotel the first night of their honeymoon. With just the pay from his after-school job, they wouldn't have been able to afford the holiday that they were having, but they'd also made out very well on Nabiki's greed, and had swiped a pile from their parents as well – which both of them agreed was fair, since between the lot of them, their lives would have been ruined if their parents had gotten their ways.

Tomorrow, they would see where they felt like going, but for now, the newly-wed couple were going to enjoy the private hotspring that was attached to their rooms.

Akane moaned – and Ranma thought it was a delicious sound – as he sucked and nipped and laved at her neck, while his hands caressed smooth skin beneath the water's surface, going down, going down, tickling ribs and twisting nipples in a way that caused Akane to moan even louder before he slipped one hand behind her back to hold her steady, and the other hand went down to that place that was even hotter than the hotsprings water, the sacred place between her legs.

"Ranma," Akane gasped, feeling shocking through her like nothing she had ever felt before.

"I am quite certain Akane," Ranma said softly, dragging his lips up her neck, pecking a soft kiss just below her ear before he moved to her lips, "that I am completely and hopelessly in love with you," he told her, their breath mingling and their lips barely brushing against each other as he spoke.

Their eyes locked for the briefest of moments, and then they shut as their lips clashed hungrily, passionately, and Ranma greedily swallowed every moan he caused Akane to rumble out as his fingers moved over her folds and tweaked at everything _just_ right, before he slid one finger into her core. He rubbed and petted and stroked her inside, and took note of what exactly he was doing that caused each and every minute reaction.

If he crooked his finger just a little, her breath hitched before she clenched up around him a little tighter. If he thrust deeply, she moaned in satisfaction. If he petted her, she panted. Carefully, he added a second finger to join the first, and then, just because he could, and he wanted to know if she would like it, he took a breath and replaced his hand with his mouth, sucking, licking, nipping, thrusting his tongue in and out where his fingers had been moments before.

When he couldn't hold his breath any more, he came up to see that Akane was a beautiful, dishevelled mess and begging for him. Just saying his name over and over, pleading in her voice.

He kissed her, and gently pulled her away from the edge of the pool – onto him.

Her breath hitched again, but Ranma could tell that this time it was in pain, rather than pleasure.

Ranma finished lowering her onto him slowly, and then moved to rub gentle, soothing circles into her lower back, kissing along her collar bone and neck once again. He adored her, truly he did.

She shifted herself on him, then halted suddenly, her eyes closed and a look of ecstasy on her face as a moan passed her lips, and then when she caught a moan coming from Ranma, she smiled and shifted the same way again, laying her hands on Ranma's shoulders to help steady her.

It was the most wonderful feeling either of them had ever experienced, and they basked in the afterglow as they floated through the hotspring waters, still joined together, smiling as they held each other.

"Next time," Akane said quietly, lazily, as they looked up at the moon above them, still warm in the steaming water, "I want to play with you a bit first."

Ranma chuckled, and she could feel it vibrate through his chest into hers. "If you really want to, then I won't complain," he answered with a smile, twisting just a little so that he could kiss her hair. "But would you like me to fetch the towels now, and we can make use of the futons our parents are paying for?"

Akane nodded, but yelped in surprise when Ranma picked her up when he stood, staying inside her as he walked into their room, carefully keeping that contact even as he dried every inch of both of them, even when he draped her sleeping yukata over her shoulders and pulled on his own.

"I'm warning you now," Ranma said as he lay them both down on their futons. "As a man in my prime, there's a thing that I get called 'morning wood', which means that when you wake up, chances are good I'll be hard inside you."

Akane smiled. "I'll wake you up gently then, and play with you afterwards," she said, kissing him soundly and curling into his side with a truly content sigh.

They were both asleep in minutes.

~The End~


End file.
